Okay, so I am fairly sure my chickens are going through a bout with coccidiosis and I am starting treatment momentarily with sulmet (the only med available at either of our feed stores). My question is that since my fowl share a common chicken wire fence between their pens and do have some contact should I be worried about treating the ducks in anticipation that they are also infected? If so, then should I treat with Sulmet as well and if so should I use the same dosage instructions? I came across a site that said that the sulfimide meds may be toxic to waterfowl but I am not too certain about the validity of this. I want to treat them but I dont want to make a terrible mistake while trying to save them. Will be doing a thorough cleaning of both pens and houses and will be using DE more consistantly as well as restricting the use of their pool. Husband has been in charge of pen for the most part and leaves the pool in daily and doesnt get it changed out often. (this will stop immediately). Anyway, please let my know your opinions. Chris
My health book states that it is not spread from bird to bird, but from the environment like bedding or soil. It will effect any domestic poultry regardless of breed. Here is a good link http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/200800.htm
I went through the same thing as you are now. My birds were also housed right next to eachother in pens seperated by only chicken wire. I treated all my Chickens and moved them to the other side of our property because I read that Cocci lived in the dirt for a period of time after the infected birds were removed/treated/culled. I never treated my ducks because they never got sick. The ducks lived there just fine after i took care of and moved the birds. I planned on moving the chickens back to that coop the next year, after the wet seasons passed, but i am a hypochondriac about my babies and didnt wanna lose anymore than i already had (we lost a lot fo babies). I am convinced that the wet environment the ducks created next to them was what helped it thrive there. And we are sure it was a new chicken that brought it into the flock. We had all kinds of ducks back then and now we only have Muscovies and I have had no problems since. Muscovies aren't near as messy though.
